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Immigration Minister Chris Alexander plans to consult with the provinces and territories to find an “appropriate way” to deal with birth tourism.

Many had expected Alexander to include it in the package of citizenship reforms introduced in Parliament on Thursday. But there was nothing in the legislation that dealt with the phenomenon of passport babies — where a mother comes to Canada to give birth to obtain Canadian citizenship for her child.

“We want to address the issue of people who have absolutely no strong connection to Canada and have no desire to live here, coming solely for the purpose of giving birth and then leaving,” Alexander told a news conference in Toronto after Bill C-24, Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, was tabled.

“It will be addressed down the road in an appropriate way. It does involve consultation and co-ordination with the provinces and territories who deliver health care obviously.

“We have to make sure we get it right in a way that doesn’t disrupt the vast majority of Canadians who are having their legitimate births in hospitals, but does detect and deter those cases where our generosity is being abused.”

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